It's been a day of cooking. I got these things made: dressing, a pound cake made, and a pumpkin pie, and I made dinner. Dinner was easy - steaks, bisquits, fruit salad, sauteed spinach.
We have found that Publix has the best steaks. I got filet mignons which were so tender Mike could cut his with a fork and they were delicious - for about $28. You could never order the meal we had in a restaurant and come out for less than $150. I'd rather eat at home most of the time.
I took the kids to Target this morning and I ran to Kroger for a prescription for Mike. Kroger was not terribly crowded, but there was a lot more activity than usual. They were selling sweet potato pies for $3.99. I don't like sweet potato pies. They could've been free, and I wouldn't touch one.
I was talking to Leslie late this afternoon, and I told her I'd made a pumpkin pie. She said "I don't bake," in tones of awe. I had to laugh. Making that pie takes 5 minutes. I buy pre-made piecrust dough and grab a bowl and throw in a can of pumpkin, a can of condensed milk, a couple of eggs, some cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and bake it. It's ridiculously easy. Pound cake isn't hard either, as long as you have all the ingredients. My mother used to measure so carefully. After watching Ina Garten scoop up flour and level it with her finger, I quit getting so uptight. I think it took me 15 minutes to make that cake. The only hard part is remembering to put the butter out on the counter so it can get soft, and buying sour cream at the store. Michael generously licks the beaters and the bowl for me.
Making the dressing? That was the ordeal. First I bake cornbread, which isn't hard. Then I toast bread and tear it up, which mom helped with. Then I cut up onions and celery and diced them in the food processor. The dressing is made in a big bowl filled with crumbled cornbread, bread pieces, eggs, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, onion powder, and a handfull of baking powder. I measure the baking powder in Mother's hands because mine are bigger and the measurement would've been off. It sounds slapdash and it sort of is, but then again my mother and I have never made a bad pan of dressing. It's in a big bowl in the fridge, ready to be baked tomorrow. What a relief.
Bruce came in about 8 after fighting horrible traffic in Columbia all the way to the Georgia border. He said once he got through Augusta it was fine. He and Michael are watching Gladiator, and he is giving Michael tidbits of information about ancient Rome and Roman military tactics.
Mike has been coughing all afternoon and he doesn't feel too great. I hope he's not worse tomorrow, but if so maybe he can just play quietly in his room or something. We have friends coming over so we'll eat in the middle of the day.
I am going to poach a turkey and make one side dish and I am done. Kate is bringing other side dishes and a dessert. I'm sure we'll have plenty of food.
I am looking forward to tomorrow.
